Allan Goodman Addresses Cancer and Retro Prom

**Our friend Allan Goodman received a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis after a routine appendectomy late in the summer of 2013. In this open letter Allan discusses his ongoing cancer treatment, thanks the music and his adopted hometown community of New Braunfels and talks about what’s next for him.

Cancer.

Like many of you and millions of others, I’m no stranger to it. I’ve lost loved ones to the disease. I’ve seen people fight the fight and live to tell their story. There’s no way to sugar coat it: cancer is terrible and it affects all of us, period.

On July 18th, 2012, after a routine appendectomy, my surgeon noticed a tumor in my appendix. We later found out it was malignant, or cancerous.

Two months later, I underwent a second surgery and found the cancer had spread throughout my abdomen. After nearly eight hours on the operating table, my doctor was confident he removed all the growth. I received amazing treatment that day, but I also received an Appendiceal Cancer diagnosis, Stage 4. According to cancerstaging.org, “Staging describes the extent or severity of an individual’s cancer based on the extent of the original (primary) tumor and the extent of spread in the body.” In this case, Stage 1 is the best scenario, and Stage 4 is the worst.

Somewhere in all of that, something amazing happened.

A benefit concert took place on my behalf and it was an awesome success. The amazing people of New Braunfels, Billy’s Ice, and a handful of Texas’ finest musicians all came together to support me. In one day, more than $20 thousand was raised. That money has afforded me the treatment I’ve needed. Once the medical costs were taken care of, the remaining monies covered my living expenses during my two-and-a-half month recovery from surgery.

Your efforts and donations that day played a key role in saving my life. My wife and I thank you endlessly for that.

Now, I’m back at it — juggling a life of chemotherapy treatments and gigging as a professional musician. My treatments will run through this May, followed by a chemotherapy operation at MD Anderson this summer.

In light of these facts, some of my friends and Dead Rock Stars band mates — Austin Gilliam, Matthew Briggs and Jeremy Plato — have decided to come back together on my behalf. Together, we’ll be hosting our signature Dead Rock Stars “Retro Prom.” Prom is a themed dress-up party, a reunion show, a second benefit and one of the most fun events of the year. The prom is titled “Don’t Stop Believing,” and it will take place 6 p.m. to midnight Sunday, February 17th at Billy’s Ice, 1193 Loop 337.

The money raised will help to further my chemotherapy. It will also help with living expenses, especially when it comes time for my operation in Houston this summer and the estimated three-month recovery period.

Until then, I plan on gigging as much as possible and our Retro Prom on February 17th will be no exception. For more details or information regarding this event, please visit www.agbenefit.com. Your support and attendance is greatly appreciated.

Let me close with this: To those of you who have fought the fight or are just embarking down that path, I’m right here, in your corner, cheering you on and believing in your success every step of the way. I wish you love, comfort, strength, grace and dignity as you embrace your own personal journey.